GRAPEVINE: News About People.

John Bekkers has been elected president and chief executive officer of Gold Kist Inc. by the board of directors of the nation's second largest and only farmer-owned chicken processor. He succeeds Gaylord O. Coan, who retired July 6 as chief executive officer and chairman of the management executive committee. Bekkers had been president and chief operating officer since 1995. Bekkers is the immediate past chairman of the board of the National Chicken Council in Washington, a director of Farm Credit Leasing in Minneapolis and the Farmers and Merchants Bank in Piedmont, Alabama, and a member of the advisory board of Rabobank in Utrecht, Holland.

EVineyard, the online wine retailer, has announced the appointment of Donald W. Douglas as chief legal counsel and vice president of corporate development. Douglas joins eVineyard from the law firm of Miller Nash LLP. As a partner at Miller Nash, Douglas headed the firm's Emerging Business, Technology, and E-Commerce Practice Group, which counted eVineyard among its clients.

McDonald's Corporation named Matthew H. Paull as executive vice president and chief financial officer, effective immediately, succeeding Michael Conley who is retiring. Paull has been a senior vice president of finance at the company since 1999. His responsibilities have included supervising tax, insurance, and facilities and systems departments. He has served as a leader on a variety of financings and special projects. Most recently, he assisted McDonald's Japan in preparing for their initial public offering and was heavily involved in the company's investment in Pret A Manger.

Coca-Cola Company's Board of Directors elected Paula G. Rosput as a director. Rosput is president and chief executive officer of AGL Resources Inc. (AGLR), a leading regional energy servicing holding company in the Southeast. Ms. Rosput has held her current position since August 2000, and joined the company as president and chief operating officer of AGLR's subsidiary, Atlanta Gas Light Company in 1998. Prior to 1998, she was president and chief executive officer of Duke Energy North America.

The first three outside directors were named to the board of Kraft Foods Inc., the largest U.S. food company. Mary Schapiro, head of regulation at Nasdaq and the former chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, John Pope, chairman of investment firm PFI Group LLC, and Deborah Wright, president and chief executive officer of Carver Bancorp Inc., were all elected to Kraft's board, the company said. A fourth outside director will be named at a later date, bringing the total to nine board members.

Peabodys Coffee Inc., announced that David A. Lyman has joined its board of directors. Lyman's appointment brings the total board membership to five following the July 7 announcement naming Cliff B. Young as President/CEO and director. Lyman has extensive experience formerly holding senior positions with Capitol EMI Music, North American Van Lines, Godfathers Pizza, Family Vision Center, and American Hospitality Concepts.